How To Reduce Stress

Working in sales can be stressful to say the least. Here are a few tips on how manage and reduce stress:

Exercise.

Hands down, this is one of the most effective ways to reduce and manage stress. From a 30-minute walk to a full-blown workout at the gym, exercise helps your body release the tension and stress that builds up during the day.

Eat properly.

Now I myself am guilty of not eating properly, but when we are stressed it’s easy to turn to comfort food. A Proper diet can play a major factor in helping you manage stress. Avoid fatty, greasy foods and eat your daily ‘quota’ of fruits and vegetables. It may sound unappealing but combined with proper exercise this will significantly reduce your stress levels.

Drink lots of water (2 liters/day).

Water does the body good and helps flush out the toxins caused by stress. Keep a water bottle close by at all times and drink from it regularly throughout the day. You will be surprised how more energy this simple strategy will give you.

Network with positive people.

Energy is contagious so associate and network regularly (at least once a week) with people who have a positive mental attitude.

Engage in at least one or two hobbies.

Hobbies are a great way to de-stress and forget about work for a while. Hobbies are also pleasurable past times (or at least they should be!) which means you invest time doing something enjoyable.

Allow sufficient travel time.

Traffic in most cities is congested and slow-moving. Avoid the stress of traffic delays and allow ample time to get from one appointment to the next.

Laugh.

As they say, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Adults only laugh a fraction of the times that children do; take a lesson from kids and look for things that make you chuckle or laugh.

Focus on the future rather than the past.

You can’t change the past but you can influence future results so instead of focusing on what you could have done; concentrate on what you can do moving forward.

Network with goal-oriented people.

My father always told me to surround myself with good people and now I know why. Goal-oriented people seem to bring out the best in others. When several like-minded people get together, lots of great ideas seem to develop.

Socialize regularly with friends.

Good friends are the next most important thing to family so carve out time to hang out with them and allow them to take your mind away from your stresses.

Take your vacations.

Contrary to popular belief it is NOT a badge of honour to say that you’re too busy to take your allotted vacation time. Even staying at home and relaxing can be a good way to recharge.

Unplug in the evenings and on weekends.

Too many people are tied to their Smartphone 24/7. Unplug from this constant connection and give yourself permission to NOT be on call or standby at all hours of the day.

Meditate.

A great way to calm your mind and your body and something you can do almost anywhere. I was always sceptical of meditating but two years back I gave it ago and it changed my life! Just ten minutes during the day can yield some amazing results!

Avoid Negative Nancy’s.

Negative people suck the life and energy from you. Listening to their problems will only make you feel tired and worn out.

Don’t procrastinate in making tough calls.

No one likes to be the bearer of bad news but your stress level increases the longer you put off making those tough calls.

When you take action to reduce your stress level you will not only increase your sales but you may also live longer which gives you the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of your labour.